Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti has signed into law and officially unveiled the Abia State 25-Year Development Plan, assuring that the document will remain sustainable through 2050.
Unveiling the plan at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Governor Otti said it is a holistic development framework upon which the state’s policy direction and resource allocation will be evaluated.
He said: “The 25-Year Abia State Development Plan, which we have signed into law and unveiled, is a dynamic document that captures our resource advantages as a state, our current position on the development ladder, and where we hope to be in the next 25 years, as we commit ourselves to specific decision pathways with respect to public sector spending, effective governance paradigms, process strengthening, and consistency in building the competencies of our people and institutions.”
The governor explained that a former development document was reviewed to reflect present realities and assured that the new plan would be sustainable because it has legal backing.
“There was a 30-year development plan. But the advent of COVID-19 and changes in the direction of government, both at the centre and at the sub-national level, combined to render that document invalid,” he said.
Governor Otti, who reiterated assurances of sustainability, explained why some development plans fail, maintaining that the 25-year plan would not suffer a similar fate because it has been passed into law by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the Executive Governor.
“A number of reasons have caused development plans to fail. The first is the absence of a legislative framework to instil discipline in execution.
“The second is the inability to realistically anticipate shocks and outline mitigation measures, or, as we often see, the reckless pursuit of private interests by political actors and the absence of a suitable framework for calling them to order.
“All these pitfalls have been carefully noted, and in line with our determination to achieve the priority targets captured in the plan, we have anchored our aspirations on a firm legislative foundation through the State House of Assembly.
“It will be very, very difficult for successive administrations to evade it, simply because it has passed the scrutiny of not only SBAS and development partners, but also the State House of Assembly. What I did moments ago was to sign this document into law,” Governor Otti stated.
The governor commended members of the State Economic Management Team for their brilliance and commitment in producing the plan on schedule, as well as members of the Abia Global Economic Advisory Council for providing guidance and enriching the document with their extensive knowledge. He also appreciated the roles played by development partners, including the UNDP, PIND, and others.
In her goodwill message, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, represented by Ms. Maureen Okoro, said the event signaled the state’s determination to pursue a long-term, coherent, and people-centred development pathway that prioritizes sustainability, inclusion, and shared prosperity.
The UNDP commended the visionary leadership of Governor Otti for embarking on the ambitious exercise, noting that the plan aligns strongly with the agency’s core development principles of evidence-based planning, inclusive growth, sustainable finance, and human development, and assured of its support in implementing the plan.
Also speaking, the representative of the Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), Mr. Chuks Ofolue, noted that the 25-year development plan, which is a review of the 30-year plan of the previous administration, is more focused and would serve as a guide for successive administrations.
The President of the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Mazi Jude Nwosu, said the plan represents the government’s commitment to transforming the state into a beacon of progress, innovation, and prosperity, as well as a vibrant economic hub in West Africa, and applauded Governor Otti for the bold step.
The unveiling ceremony, which attracted many dignitaries and top government officials, featured the formal signing of the 25-Year Development Plan into law by Governor Alex Otti in the company of the leadership of the Abia State House of Assembly.
